Staphylus hayhurstii

Photo Life History:  Staphylus hayhurstii

Habitat:  Forest Edges; Valley Wet Meadows; Urban-Suburban

Host Plants:  Chenopodium album 

Suitable Lab Host Plants: 

Caring for Live Female Butterflies:  Nectaring techniques

Methods of Female Oviposition:  Small Squat Tub; Twin Cup Method.

How to Find Eggs: 

How to Hatch Eggs:  Consolidate eggs into one container. 

How to Find Caterpillars in the Field: Look for Skipper Nests;

Caterpillar setups:  Open terrarium or open bucket.

Larva to Pupa:  Larva Changes Color before hibernating as mature last instar caterpillar or pupating.

How to Find Pupae in the Field: 

Number of Broods per Year:  1-4; depending upon location.

Overwintering Stage:  Mature Fifth Instar Larva.

Overwintering Strategies:  Your Own Backyard; Refrigerator (Larvae can break aestivation/diapause through humidity).

Post-Hibernation Strategies: Expose post-diapause larvae to humidity.  Larvae will then pupate and emerge.

Avoiding Diapause Techniques:  Healthy Host Plant.

Disease Prevention: Change out host plant and remove frass every four to five days using the open terrarium technique. 

Emergence:  Emergence Container

Field Notes:  Larvae refuse Chenopodium capitatum in the lab.